1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a connector for connecting the end portions of slender piping members such as metal pipes or resin tubes and flexible hoses of a resin or rubber, or metal pipes or resin tubes and metal pipes (as will be shortly referred to as the "piping member "), both of which are so slender as to have a diameter of about 20 mm or less and are used to supply oil or air to various machines or apparatus such as automobiles.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The connector of this kind according to the prior art will be reviewed in the following. In case the piping member to be connected is a flexible hose made of a resin or rubber, as shown in FIG. 4, a flexible hose P" having undulating circumference at its back is formed with a stepped larger-diameter through chamber 22, which has a rear circumferential end portion of its cylindrical wall formed with a retaining wall 21" and extends from a communication bore formed with a connecting cylindrical wall 21' of the flexible hose P". A seal ring member is fitted in the larger-diameter through chamber 22. In the retaining wall 21" of a connector body 21 having a bushing member retained in the stepped portion of the larger-diameter through chamber 22 retaining the seal ring member, there is fitted the stepped portion of the rear end annular wall of a socket body 23 having forward oblique pawl walls at the leading end. These pawl walls are retained in engagement holes or slots which are formed in the cylindrical wall of the larger-diameter through chamber 22 at the side of the connector body 21. The bulging wall portion P.sub.1 ', which is fitted in the larger-diameter through chamber 22 formed in the vicinity of the portion of a piping member P' to be connected, is elastically engaged in its connected state by the aforementioned pawl wall 23'.
However, the structure of the connector of the prior art has a problem that frequent troubles are encountered in the use of a narrow piping place because the whole length of the connector is axially elongated by the fitting arrangement at the through chamber 22 and the retaining wall 21" leading to the cylindrical wall of the chamber. Moreover, the pushing connection of the flexible hose P" to the connecting cylindrical wall 21' having the undulating circumference will invite troublesomeness. Due to aging at the connected portions left outside for a long time, the gas-tightness is degraded to induce a leakage. There arises another problem that the relative sizes in the connector body 21 require a high-grade of machining accuracy.